STRAY ANIMALS ARE NEGLECTED AND ABUSED IN MANY COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD. SUPPORT OUR PROJECT AND HELP US “SAVE A STRAY”

Do you know that stray animals are mistreated and neglected in many countries of the world?

Many times, we are totally unaware of what happens to animals in other countries and how strays are treated in certain places. However, when we get at the truth, we can sadly notice that the list of Countries in which animal welfare does not even reach the minimum standard is extremely long, and unfortunately is worsening day by day.

National animal protection laws and regulations are frequently inadequate and in many cases basic animal rights do not even exist in these countries. Additionally, there is a huge lack of educational and awareness campaigns addressed to local communities that should instead be implemented  to lower the widespread feelings of mistrust, fear, indifference and hostility towards stray animals.

The lack of laws, regulations and education make the lives of street dogs and cats a daily attempt to survive from abuses and mistreatments.

Strays are not considered as sentient beings able to feel emotions such as joy and happiness, as well as fear, pain and sadness, but solely an “annoying problem of public health and safety” to get rid of  it employing inhumane, cruel and barbaric methods.

Local governments often refuse to allocate resources to ethically manage and control stray animals’ population by implementing programmes and campaigns of mass sterilization and vaccination that are proven to be effective in the long term. In contrast, they prefer to waste money promoting useless, ineffective and brutal practices that have as only result the suffering and death of thousands of stray animals. This attitude towards strays reflects the behaviour of citizens who feel empowered to continuously abuse on innocent beings, teaching their children that violence and brutality are justified and socially accepted.

Strays, able to escape and survive to the mass culling/killing campaigns, are anyway forced to spend their lives in deplorable conditions. Undernourished, sick, injured, affected by serious disabilities and diseases, they will spend their short lives knowing that cruelty will be always an enemy behind the corner.

Stray animals are dumped in the desert of Dubai or Abu Dhabi and left to die from starvation and dehydration. In the UAE, stray cats are considered an invasive species – as well as dogs and some types of birds –  and it is forbidden to feed them. Here, local municipalities authorize pest control companies to place in many areas poison traps to catch and kill roaming cats. Roaming dogs are shot and poisoned on the streets of Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tunisia, and Morocco, or they are trapped by public employees to be spayed and neutered in specialized centres but, once caught, they will never be released back, as it happens in Azerbaijan and Albania. Neglected, starving, wounded and sick in desolate areas of Syria and Iran, here animals have very little chance to survive because vet care and medicines are not available. Forgotten in the outskirts of Turkey, Italy, Aruba or Mauritius.

These are only a few examples, because stray animals are rejected by local institutions and discarded by citizens in many other countries.

Unfortunately, the problem of stray animals is still neglected by the institutions of many countries, which in most cases, do little or nothing to prevent it, while in the worst cases, employ cruel methods, like mass shooting or poisoning, to “solve” the problem.

Any civilized country should be ashamed of itself when an animal dies, is abused, becomes ill or is injured due to lack of assistance and protection, but shame is a feeling that apparently only few are able to experience.
Stray dogs – but also cats – often rely only on volunteers to survive. Volunteers who feed and look after them daily and provide them constant care and assistance.

What can we citizens do to help strays? Call on governments and institutions to pass or implement laws for the protection of animals, promote tourism in locations that behave ethically towards stray dogs, help associations and volunteers.

In the view of these extremely painful realities and considering the so many calls for help that OIPA International receives daily from its delegations and member league associations, the organization has decided to launch a project to give voice and offer a tangible help to stray dogs and cats who have no choice, and invisible continue to suffer every day around the world.

Supporting our project “SAVE A STRAY”, you will help us with:

🥫 FOOD wet, dry and specific food for animals;

🩹 VET CARE AND TREATMENT provide veterinary care and assistance to strays in need – including spaying and neutering, core/rabies vaccinations, medicines and medications, parasite treatments, internal/external/complex surgeries, diagnosis and examinations, therapies and recovery, blood/other tests;

🏡 FOSTER AND ADOPTION pay relocation, foster and rehome of stray animals suitable for adoption – offering them a chance of a better life;

📘 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES prepare educational programmes and informative material addressed to communities, schools and municipalities regarding the topic of responsible pet ownership, and the correct approach and management of local stray animals;

(Some examples of costs for a single dog or cat: 10 – 20 euros  for tests or vaccinations; 20 – 30 euros for monthly food; 50 – 100 euros for desex and microchip; 100 – 200 euros for surgeries; etc..) – whatever amount, even a few euros, can change the life of a stray